September 2007 Volume VI, Issue V

www..com/frontiers COMBAT READY Boeing’s support of U.S. bombers keeps the fleet relevant and today’s troops effective



September 2007 Volume VI, Issue V

ON THE COVER: An artist’s conception of U.S. B-1B (clockwise from top left), B-2 and B-52H bombers. Boeing graphic by Jim Steitz and Scott Girard ter Sgt. L a nce C he u ng U.S. Air Force photo by M as ter Sgt. COVER STORY READY TO GO 12 Boeing employees are working to keep U.S. Air Force bombers, like this Boeing-built B-52H Stratofortress being refueled over Afghanistan, relevant for today’s warfighters. Their work in- cludes maintaining and continuing to integrate the latest in battlefield .

A Boeingwide team has been refining and improving the use of CHECK 32 high-memory radio frequency identification tags and unique item FEATURE identifiers. These will help Boeing, its customers and its THE TAG suppliers operate more efficiently—giving Boeing a competitive edge. STORY

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007  At this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo air show in the United Kingdom, a Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Hornet 20 executes a series of 360-degree rolls during a high- speed pass. The aircraft was one of several Boeing aircraft performing at this year’s show. ERI K S I M ON EN photo INSIDE What if it happened? More than 1,000 U.S. organizations and institutions, 18 including Boeing, are encouraging employees to prepare better for emergencies and disasters at work and home. Here’s what Boeing is doing—and what you should remember—if the unthinkable happens.

What a RIAT! Every July the Royal International Air Tattoo in 20 the United Kingdom, the world’s largest military air show, draws thousands of spectators and the best of the world’s military air arms. Boeing aircraft played a promi- nent part in this year’s event.

Making the Dream work Boeing has shown the world a lot about how the 24 787 Dreamliner will come together. Yet plenty of work is taking place behind the scenes to ensure the world’s are ready for this technologically advanced new airplane—both from an operational and a servicing standpoint.

6 Letters 8 Historical Perspective 37 Stock Charts 41 Around Boeing INSIDE 7 Notebook 10 New and Notable 38 Milestones 42 Spotlight

 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 Volume VI, Issue V

Among the 3,000 widebody airplanes delivered by the Boeing site in Everett, Wash., is this All Nippon Airways 26 747-400. This jetliner’s special “flying fish” livery was the winning entry in an ANA-sponsored contest to commemo- rate the ’s milestone of 500 million passengers—and was created by a 12-year-old girl. BOEING photo That’s just grand, grand, grand The Boeing site in Everett, Wash., reached a ma- 26 jor milestone last month with the delivery of its 3,000th widebody jetliner. The milestone recognizes the remarkable success of the 747, 767 and 777 programs, which have revolutionized international travel and air- freight operations.

Citizenship and Boeing The Global Corporate Citizenship function at 29 Boeing sees the role of business in society as be- ing rooted in citizenship. Here’s why citizenship best de- scribes Boeing’s role in the world’s communities.

29 To market, to market Easton Hazim (left) and Betty Nhan, a teacher in the Bellevue (Wash.) School District, review The Boeing Wall Street Symposium is an intense an assignment. In 2003, the district, with fund- 36 two-day session that’s designed to provide Finance ing from Boeing, created a comprehensive math leaders with a more structured approach to learning the curriculum; Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship’s support of this program reflects an area where the latest on securities markets, stock exchanges, banking, needs of business and society converge. credit rating agencies and other financial topics. This year’s session takes place in October in . B e ll ev u Schoo l Di s trict photo by C r a ig Bu ing am

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007  n LETTERS

“The Learning Together Program opens doors to those who want to pursue their CALENDAR OF EVENTS Publisher: Tom Downey educational goals.” Sept. 12: Aviation Week Forum for Editorial director: Jo Anne Davis Green Aviation. Brussels, Belgium. —Gary Deabler, St. Louis See www.aviation week.com/ EDITORIAL TEAM forums/greenmain.htm Editor: Paul Proctor: (312) 544-2938 Sept. 17–18: Aviation Week Sup- Managing editor: in the 270G parking lot ply Chain & Logistics Forum. Junu Kim: (312) 544-2939 Dallas–Fort Worth Airport, . Diane Stratman: (562) 797-1443 across Campus Parkway See www.aviationweek.com/ Designer: from the 270 building. Rick Moore: (314) 233-5758 Employees, retirees, and forums/scfmain.htm Commercial Airplanes editor: their families can drop Sept. 17–19: SpeedNews 8th Dick Schleh: (206) 766-2124 off unwanted electronic Annual Aviation Industry Suppliers Integrated Defense Systems editor: equipment from 7:30 a.m. Conference in Toulouse. Toulouse, Diane Stratman: (562) 797-1443 to 9 a.m. and between . See www.speednews. , Operations and 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. com/Conference Technology editor: WITS is a St. Louis– William Cole: (314) 232-2186 based nonprofit corpora- Sept. 17–19: 22nd Annual Techni- cal Conference of the American Shared Services editor: tion that specializes in Mick Boroughs: (206) 919-7584 reuse and recycling of Society for Composites. Seattle. Copy editor: electronic equipment. It See www.engr..edu/ Walter Polt: (312) 544-2954 rebuilds PCs using parts epp/asc2007 from donated systems for Sept. 17–20: World Airline Enter- CONTRIBUTING EDITORS individuals and organi- tainment Association 28th Annual Boeing Capital Corp.: zations unable to afford Donna Mikov: (425) 965-4057 Conference & Exhibition. Toronto. new equipment. It will See www.waea.org ONLINE PRODUCTION accept any items that run on Learning Together kudos electricity (except large appli- Sept. 18–20: American Institute Production manager: of and ’ Alma Dayawon: (312) 544-2936 The August Boeing ances). It charges a donation Frontiers article about the fee of $10 for each television Space 2007 Conference and Web designer: Exhibition. Long Beach, Calif. See Michael Craddock: (312) 544-2931 Learning Together Program and $5 for each monitor, lap- was well-written (Page 11). www.aiaa.org/Space2007 Graphic artists: top and oven. Rick Moore: (314) 233-5758 I just finished my master’s This event is for personal Sept. 23–25: Routes. The World Cal Romaneschi: (312) 544-2930 degree at age 55, working full- items—not equipment with a Route Development Forum will Web developers: time. This program [shows] Boeing property sticker. conduct its 13th annual confer- Lynn Hesby: (312) 544-2934 how Boeing invests in its em- To learn more, visit http:// ence. Stockholm, Sweden. See Keith Ward: (312) 544-2935 ployees’ futures. beep.stl.mo.boeing.com/ www.routesonline.com Information technology consultant: —Gary Deabler aboutBEEP.jsp on the Boeing Tina Skelley: (312) 544-2323 St. Louis intranet. For more about Sept. 25–27: National Business WITS, visit www.witsinc.org. Aviation Association 60th Annual BEEP for electronics —Steve Burns Meeting & Convention. Atlanta. How to contact us: recycling in St. Louis St. Louis See www.nbaa.org E-mail: Boeing Employees for [email protected] Oct. 2–3: Aviation Week Lean & Six Environmental Protection Corrections Sigma Forum. San Francisco. See Mailing address: Boeing Frontiers (BEEP), a Boeing-sponsored • In the August 2007 issue, www.aviationweek.com/forums/ MC: 5003-0983 club, encourages Boeing em- the photos on Pages 45 and 46 leanmain.htm 100 N. Riverside Plaza ployees in the St. Louis area to (top photo) were misattributed. Oct. 15–17: Cargo Facts 2007. , IL 60606 participate in a recycling and Jim Anderson took them. Seattle. See www.cargofacts.com Phone: reuse event this month. • In the In Memoriam list (312) 544-2954 On Sept. 20, BEEP will in the August 2007 issue, the Oct. 16–21: Korea Aerospace & Fax: partner with Web Innova- date of death of Neil Reed Defense Exhibition 2007. Seoul, (312) 544-2078 tions and Technical Services was misstated. Mr. Reed died Korea. See www.seoulairshow. Web address: www.boeing.com/frontiers (WITS) to recycle electronics, July 13. com Send all retiree address changes to Boeing Frontiers, MC 3T-12 P.O. Box 3707 Seattle, WA 98124-2207 Letters guidelines Postmaster: Send address corrections Boeing Frontiers provides its letters page for readers to state The opinions may not necessarily reflect those of The Boeing to Boeing Frontiers, MC 3T-12 their opinions. The page is intended to encourage an exchange Company. Letters must include name, organization and a tele- P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, WA 98124-2207 of ideas and information that stimulates dialogue on issues or phone number for verification purposes. Letters may be edited (Present addressees, include label) events in the company or the aerospace industry. for grammar, syntax and size.

 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n NOTEBOOK

SNAPSHOT WINGING IT A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle (right) flies alongside a KC-135 Strato- tanker during Exercise Valiant Shield Aug. 9 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. During the exercise, Air Force aircraft and airmen from stateside bases and Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, participated in integrated joint training with U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda Moorer

QUOTABLE

he KC-767 is the right think everyone is underes- ith this aircraft, our plane—not the biggest, timating the political pres- Canadian Forces will Tbut the best—and it’s Isures. … If the industry Wbe able to move criti- the plane that will get the does not appear to be proac- cal capabilities to the places job done.” tive enough, it will cause the they are needed at the time —U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) at the premature obsolescence of the they are needed.” Boeing site in Everett, Wash., at an Aug. 6 rally existing fleet.” —Gordon O’Connor, former defense minister in support of the KC-767 Advanced Tanker, for Canada, about the C-17, at an Aug. 11 which Boeing has offered to the U.S. Air Force —Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman and CEO of International Lease Finance Corp., about ceremony at Abbotsford, B.C., commemorat- whether the aviation industry recognizes the ing the arrival of Canada’s first C-17 world’s growing environmental concern, in the Aug. 6 Aviation Week & Space Technology

IAM PROMOTIONS ETHICS QUESTIONS? No promotions listed for periods ending You can reach the Office of Ethics & Business Conduct at 1-888-970-7171; Mail Code: 14-14; Fax: 1-888-970-5330; July 27 and Aug. 3, 10, 17 and 24. TDD/TTY: 1-800-617-3384; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://ethics.whq.boeing.com

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007  n HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Two decadesblue in

The are famous for the precise diamond formation, where the four jets come as close as 18 inches (46 centimeters) from each other. U.S. NAVY PHOTO

Hornet marks 20 years of being Blue Angels’ aircraft of choice

By Paul Guse

he final show of the Blue Angels 1986 season had just conclud- Ted, and Cmdr. Gil Rud led the A-4F Skyhawk II jets back to their parking spots in front of the crowd line at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. As the six jets turned in unison and braked to a stop, they were met by a blue and yellow jet of another shape. With Lt. Cliff Skelton in the cockpit, this blue That moment began the Hornet’s place their counterparts in the fleet, these blue F/A-18 Hornet angled in nose-to-nose with as the Blue Angels aircraft of choice, a role Hornets have demonstrated to millions the Cmdr. Rud’s No. 1 jet and gave the public a it has served now for 20 years. And just awesome capabilities and raw power of the glimpse of what would become a familiar as the men and women of the Blue Angels gray F/A-18s that serve the U.S. Navy and Blue Angels icon for decades to come. represent the excellence and dedication of Marine Corps.

 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

In the past 20 years, 42 “A” and “B” model Hornets have worn the distinc- tive blue and yellow paint of the Blue Angels and have performed more than 1,300 flight demonstrations in front of mil- lions of air show spectators. In 1992, the team took their Blue Hornets on a 30-day European deployment that included per- formances in Russia, Romania, Sweden, Finland, Bulgaria, , the United Kingdom and Spain. The F/A-18 Hornet is the third con- secutive Boeing aircraft flown in the Blue Angels’ 60-year history, following the A-4F Skyhawk II and the F-4J Phantom II, all McDonnell Douglas–heritage jets. blue STARTING WITH THE A-4 The Hornet’s predecessor with the Blue Angels, the A-4, was known for its incred- Cmdr. Gil Rud (kneeling, ninth from left) led the Blue Angels transition from the ible roll rate and small size, which allowed A-4 Skyhawk II (left) to the F/A-18 Hornet (right). This photo was taken at the conclu- very tight formations. In the mid-1980s, sion of the 1986 air show season and arrival of the team’s first Hornet. U.S. NAVY PHOTO however, the Skyhawk was aging rapidly. “We just ran out of A-4s,” said Rud, who as “Boss” of the Blue Angels had the dis- what the aircraft was capable of doing.” The Blue Angels diamond also per- tinction of leading the team’s transition to With their training complete, the Blue forms the “dirty” loop, where the four jets the Hornet. He now leads business devel- Angels went to work putting the Hornet perform the loop in tight formation with opment at the Boeing office in Patuxent through the show routine, seeing what it , flaps and arresting hooks all River, Md. could and couldn’t do in a show that had extended, causing high drag on each Hornet. “The A-4s were great airplanes, but been built around the A-4 Skyhawk. In comparison, “Even regular loops they were just falling apart, they were so “In our last year with the Skyhawk, I were done with almost full power in the old,” he said. “The last year we had to use was asked if the team needed to stand down A-4,” Rud said. the wings from one airplane on the fuse- for a year to transition to the Hornet,” Rud lage of another.” said. “I said, ‘No, if you give me the same benefit of reliability Transitioning to an entirely new jet is guys and I don’t have to get someone new One key benefit the Hornet brought to no small chore for a team that routinely on the team.’ the Blue Angels was felt only behind the puts six airplanes in the air about 18 inch- “We tried everything the A-4 could do, scenes: maintenance. “In our first year es from each other. Rud began that task by then added a few things and took away a with the Hornet, we kept the same number taking the Blue Angels back to the Navy few things,” he said. “Some of the A-4 ma- of maintenance personnel; in fact, we add- “RAG” (replacement air group) that’s neuvers we tried were, well, ugly!” ed a few,” Rud said. “We ended up having responsible for teaching fleet pilots to fly One of the key benefits the Hornet did about twice as many people as we needed.” the Hornet. bring to the team was “raw power,” with The Hornet’s high reliability and ease “We only had one F/A-18-qualified pi- its two afterburning Electric F404 of maintainability are two key attributes lot on the team at that time, and he was our engines producing more than in the demanding aircraft-carrier environ- Number 7, the narrator,” Rud said. “So we three times as much thrust as was avail- ment Hornets usually operate from, where had the RAG devise a special 25-hour syl- able in the A-4. space, spare parts and down time are all at labus for us. We went to NAS Cecil Field “In the A-4, you had to make a perch for a minimum. in Jacksonville, Fla., and removed any- a maneuver,” Rud explained. “To perform The contributions of the F/A-18 to the thing that had to do with the Blue Angels. a looping maneuver, for example, you had Blue Angels and the fleet certainly are We got back in green flight suits and old to get to a certain altitude and set the pow- not lost on Cmdr. Kevin Mannix. “Boss” helmets.” er. If I didn’t get to that altitude and have Mannix is the current Blue Angels com- That gesture recognized the Blue a certain airspeed, I might not be able to manding officer and flight leader, flying Angels’ fundamental purpose of repre- make the maneuver.” the No. 1 jet. senting to the public the professionalism The fully modulated in the “Some have argued this awesome jet and skill of the men and women serving Hornet gave the team ample power to per- was built primarily for aerial demonstra- the Navy and Marine Corps. “The last form new maneuvers like the Half Cuban tions, with combat as its secondary role,” thing we wanted to do was to be some pri- Eight on , where jets one through Mannix said. “Rest assured the Hornet ma donnas among the fleet aviators,” Rud four take off in afterburner, slide into the has played a significant role in the histo- said. “We knew we were going to fly the diamond formation and pull straight up ry of naval aviation for more than three Hornet differently in the Blue Angels. But into inverted flight, doing half a loop be- decades.” n we also had to learn how it was flown in fore rolling upright and passing again in [email protected] the fleet so we could talk to people about front of the crowd.

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007  n NEW AND NOTABLE Work toward wellness How three people used lifestyle coaching to make healthy changes

By Brad Chrisman

ditor’s note: The Mayo Clinic Life- style Coaching program offers six Emonths of free lifestyle coaching from the health experts at Mayo Clinic to people who may benefit from weight or stress man- agement, added physical activity or better nutrition. Following are anecdotes from three people who have used the program. For more information on this program, see the box at the bottom of Page 11. * * * * * Chuck Cramer didn’t know he had type- 2 diabetes when he took the Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment in 2006. But when the longtime Boeing employee subsequent- ly signed up for the Lifestyle Coaching pro- gram that year, his coach encouraged him to see his doctor. A simple blood test revealed that Cramer’s glucose level was high. “I was as shocked as anyone to find out from my doctor that I had it,” said Cramer, a Seattle-based team leader in parts manage- ment. “I was fairly healthy. With type-2 you really don’t know. It’s one of the most undi- agnosed diseases. I was rather horrified.” Cramer began making small but effec- tive changes to his daily routine: drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegeta- bles, climbing stairs instead of riding the After being diagnosed with elevator. Together with the medication his type-2 diabetes, Chuck Cramer doctor prescribed, the new habits paid off. made many small but effective Today Cramer is 30 pounds lighter, and changes in his daily routine, “my sugar levels are in the normal range such as taking the stairs and now,” he said, emphasizing that one of the drinking more water. A big help in managing his condition, keys to success was the support and encour- Cramer said, was the support he agement he received from his Mayo Life- received from his Mayo Lifestyle style coach. coach. “I think the coaching did more than any- Ji m An d er s on photo thing else. It made me accountable to drink Cramer said he’s pleased with his prog- him to think of his recovery in engineer- more water. That was the first goal,” he ress but figures it’s just a beginning. “I’ve ing terms. said. “My coach, Jason, was so encourag- still got a ways to go. I’m not even halfway “My background has been engineering, ing to say, ‘OK Chuck, we’re going to set there yet,” he said. “I’ve got more to change, and when you’ve got a big problem in front some goals for you. You’re going to drink but I’ll do it a little bit at a time.” of you, you don’t solve it all at once. You at- four glasses of water a day. Now, how * * * * * tack it bit by bit,” he said. are you going to do that? Let’s talk about When Bill Koeneker had coronary by- So when Koeneker learned that he, as strategies.’” pass surgery in 2004, it was natural for the spouse of a St. Louis–based Boeing em-

10 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n NEW AND NOTABLE

Important note about chronic conditions The Mayo Clinic lifestyle coaching program is designed to help anyone who could benefit from weight or stress management, added physical activity, or better nutrition. However, if you have a chronic health condition that requires ongoing care and management—such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma or cancer—you should consider participating in one of the disease manage- ment programs available through most of Boeing’s U.S. health plans. To learn what your medical plan offers, call your plan representative through Boeing TotalAccess at 1-866-473-2016. ployee, was eligible to take the Health Risk * * * * * Assessment and receive free lifestyle coach- Masako Davison was in her 32nd year as a ing from the health experts at Mayo Clinic, Boeing systems analyst when she he welcomed the opportunity. He signed up took the HRA and signed up for the Life- for the nutrition program and arranged to style Coaching program. On the advice of

have regular phone calls with a coach. her coach, Davison made basic changes to bob f erg us on photo “I was a very willing participant in the her diet that helped manage her cholesterol SUPPORT PLAN WOULD BOOST program,” he said. “Even though I felt like level, which her doctor had labeled as “bor- I already had some good knowledge about derline.” U.K. APACHE AVAILABILITY nutrition, I found the program very helpful “I decided to do something before I o AgustaWestland’s Dave Vincent, and enjoyed it very much.” get to the point I have to live with a pill, Tthe long-term Future Support Agree- Koeneker pored over the educational which I hate. It’s the best way to do it,” she ment being proposed to the U.K. Min- materials that he received from Mayo. But said. “You can eat the right things and stay istry of Defence will benefit not only he especially looked forward to the “pleas- healthy.” the British for years to come, but ant, helpful and courteous” tone of the dis- Today, Davison is retired and lives in Boeing, AgustaWestland and the rest of cussions he had with his coach. Washington state, but she still thinks like Team U.K. Apache. “That was great. It kind of makes you a systems analyst. “You have to watch what Boeing, AgustaWestland and other feel like you have a connection,” he said. you eat,” she said. “Garbage in, garbage Apache program companies have formed “Each time we’d have one of those calls, the out.” n an industry alliance to offer the Brit- coach would somehow manage to make an- [email protected] ish Army a comprehensive maintenance other little suggestion that was helpful, or a and support effort that will ensure con- little item that I had overlooked in literature sistent availability of the U.K.’s Apache that was sent.” AH Mk1 (above) for the next two decades. A decision is expected in Gradually, Koeneker began making Journey toward a healthier you healthy changes to the types and quanti- the next several months. ties of the foods he ate. “It’s so easy to slip Take the Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assess- With this new performance-based into bad nutrition habits, he said. “The calls ment before Oct. 31 and you’ll receive a logistics operation, AgustaWestland were a great way to stay on the straight and personal health report and a $50 gift card and Boeing employees are playing equal narrow.” redeemable at more than 300 merchants leadership roles. This is a change from Today, Koeneker no longer has to use across the United States. the previous production contract where AgustaWestland was the prime contrac- medication to manage his cholesterol lev- Before you take the HRA, consider taking el. “That kind of surprised my primary care tor and Boeing the lead subcontractor advantage of one of the Wellness Screen- physician,” he said. “It’s not exactly where for the U.K.’s 67 AH Mk1 aircraft. ings offered this year at many Boeing he wants it. He’d like to see my LDL (low- The Boeing Apache program has locations throughout the United States. Be density lipoprotein) just a little bit lower placed its leadership base for the Future sure to keep your “numbers”—such as and the HDL (high-density lipoprotein) a Support Arrangement Program outside of little higher. But I have my cholesterol un- your blood pressure reading, cholesterol Mesa, Ariz., the home of the Apache, to der control.” and glucose levels—from your screening demonstrate its commitment to the proj- Perhaps just as importantly, “I feel like results and have them available when ect (Apache programs typically are man- I’ve got about as much energy and stami- you’re ready to take your HRA. aged in Mesa). The program ultimately na as I had maybe 18 years ago,” Koeneker If your HRA results show your well-being will employ more engineers and logis- said. “Getting off of the medication was a would get a boost from weight or stress tic-support personnel, who will be col- big help because it eliminated the muscle management, added physical activity, located with the British Army and their pain and the aches. That in turn allowed or better nutrition, you can request six AgustaWestland teammates in the U.K. me to become a little more vigorous and months of free Lifestyle Coaching from the “Combined under one umbrella will more regular in my exercise routine. And health experts at Mayo Clinic. be our technical support, repair and when you exercise, you get hungry. So then overhaul, spares, manufacturing licens- Spouses and domestic partners also are if you’re hungry and you’re eating more of ing, modifications and training opera- eligible if they are enrolled in a Boeing the good things, your energy level goes up. tions,” said John Wilson, who heads the medical plan. To get started, go to www. That’s kind of the effect the program has. Boeing U.K. Apache Future Support All these little pieces go together.” BoeingWellness.com. Arrangement Program. n

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 11 n COVER STORY Wings of change

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber peels away from a four-ship formation during a training mission over the U.S. state of Georgia. The B-1 fleet recently passed the 500,000-flying-hour milestone and has proven to be a workhorse of the U.S. Air Force’s bomber fleet. B-1s are used primar- ily for show-of-force deterrence and for swift precision strikes.

U.S. Air Force photo Support Systems plays role in aiding made by Boeing or a heritage company or features Boeing as a major subcontractor. the evolution of USAF bomber fleet With the youngest members of the bomber fleet dating back 20 years, however, and the Air Force’s next-generation bomber likely By Debby Arkell many years away, keeping these aircraft relevant for today’s war- fighters—maintaining aging aircraft and continuing to integrate ince the days of drummers leading into battles, the latest in battlefield technology—has become critically impor- warfare has evolved continually. The lightning-speed tech- tant. Thus, the enhancements and modifications performed by Snological advances of recent decades have cast profound Integrated Defense Systems’ Support Systems people are vital to changes on the military, enabling it to transform its arsenal of weap- the ongoing relevance of this crucial element of modern warfare. ons and warfighting techniques to be continuously relevant and “Boeing’s goal is to support the current bomber platforms, combat-ready. meeting the customer’s needs to avoid obsolescence and maintain The bomber fleet is no exception. This combat relevance until the replacement can be fielded—keeping fleet includes about 164 aircraft—a mix of B-1s, B-2s and the the platforms as usable assets to the Air Force,” said Scot Oathout, venerable B-52, which first appeared in the mid-1950s. All three B-52 program director. “Yet we’re not just sustaining these plat- have played and will continue to play significant roles in conflict forms, but changing their missions entirely. And Boeing employ- and peacekeeping missions around the globe, and each was either ees are leading the way.”

12 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n COVER STORY

Historical bomber strategies Boeing and its heritage companies have been involved in the Bombers, at a glance evolution of all three bombers, having originally built all or parts of each. Now it’s maintaining and enhancing them to meet current Here’s a closer look at Boeing’s heavy bombers. operator needs. B-1 The B-52 made its debut in 1952 and went into service in 1954 • Built in 1980s by Rockwell International (now part of Boeing). as a high-altitude, long-range nuclear bomber. The B-1B, designed to be a swift nuclear deterrent, first flew in 1984 and was delivered • Converted from nuclear to conventional weapons missions in 1990s. in 1985. The B-2, taking to the skies in 1989, was a stealthy nuclear • Flight speed: Mach 1.25. air-defense penetrator. Early bomber battle strategies focused on the destruction of en- • Gross takeoff weight: 477,000 pounds (216,000 kilograms). emies’ factories, communications and other infrastructure. As air- • Number in U.S. Air Force fleet: 67. craft systems and payload deployment were imprecise, weapons had to be capable of significant damage to ensure the destruction • Primary mission: Considered the workhorse of the U.S. Air Force of the target. The Cold War and nuclear proliferation led to a need bomber fleet, B-1s carry a large, flexible payload and are used for for high-speed displays of force, or deterrent capabilities, in addi- strategic attack and interdiction, close air support, swift precision tion to nuclear capability. strikes and show-of-force deterrence. As politics and technology changed, so did Air Force require- • Enhancements in development by Integrated Defense Systems in ments. Bombers had to fly farther and for longer. As the Cold War Long Beach, Calif., include data links, front and rear cockpit upgrades, nuclear threat waned, precision weapons were introduced. As Central Integrated Test System, Gyro Stabilization System replace- other technological advances boosted troop mobility, the goal no ment. longer was massive destruction of enemy targets using imprecise • Combat operations include Desert Fox (Iraq, 1998), Allied Force weapons—but war on swift, mobile target sets, attacking the en- (Kosovo, 1999), Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan, 2001) and Iraqi emy with pinpoint accuracy. Freedom (Iraq, 2003). Mission: Modification B-2 IDS Support Systems employees around the United States have • Built by an industry team including , Boeing and stepped up to the challenge, upgrading these bomber platforms in Aircraft Industries. Boeing was—and remains—responsible a multitude of ways. These enhancements have kept the platforms for one-third of the aircraft’s systems and structural elements. current with technological . They’ve also changed their role from that of a single-mission capability to a flexible, versatile, • Entered U.S. Air Force operational fleet in 1993. networked asset in the Air Force fleet. • Known as the “stealth bomber” because of its ability to elude enemy Enhancements to bomber platforms fall into four categories: . weaponry, modernization, connectivity and sustainment. Support • Number in U.S. Air Force fleet: 21. Systems people play a role on all fronts. Here’s a look at each category. • Primary mission: long-range flight, to attack key targets early in a conflict to minimize the opponent’s capabilities. • Flight speed: high subsonic. The B-52 first entered military service with the • Recent enhancements by IDS Support Systems in Seattle include the U.S. Air Force in 1954 in its primary mission as addition of smart-bomb racks in the B-2’s two bomb bays and Ultra a long-range, heavy bomber. It can carry a wide High Frequency Communication. array of weapons, including air-launched cruise missiles. B-52 U.S. Air Force photo • Built by Boeing in Seattle and Wichita, Kan.; most modifications occur during Program Depot Maintenance in Oklahoma. • First entered military service in 1954. • Number in U.S. Air Force fleet: 76. • Primary mission: long-range, heavy bomber that can carry the widest array of weapons in the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet, including air- launched cruise missiles • Flight speed: high subsonic. • Can carry up to 70,000 pounds (31,800 kilograms) of mixed payload. • Combat operations include all major offensives from Vietnam through Operation Iraqi Freedom. • Recent enhancements include B-52 Combat Network Communica- tions Technology program, Avionics Midlife Improvement and Electronic Countermeasure Integration programs.

KEVIN FLYNN photo

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 13 n COVER STORY

The B-2—called “the stealth bomber” because of its ability to elude enemy radar—was built by an industry team featuring Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Vought Aircraft Industries. Boeing built primary structural components for the B-2 including outboard and aft-center sections of the bomber’s fuselage, and supplied the bomber’s fuel systems, weapons delivery system and landing gear. Boeing remains responsible for one-third of the aircraft’s systems and structural elements. BOEING photo

Weaponry. Weaponry upgrades entail changing the payload Future improvements carried on the aircraft and integrating advanced weapons systems. Boeing is working with the U.S. Air Force customer and, in the case of All three bombers originated with nuclear capability but now have the B-2 program, prime contractor Northrop Grumman, to devise ways expanded their role to include conventional weapons. to keep Boeing bombers relevant well into the future. Here are some Today’s global positioning systems allow weapons to be in- creasingly precise. This means bombers can service many more examples of technologies Integrated Defense Systems Support Systems targets per sortie than before—and can deploy munitions accu- is considering for future application. rately from higher, safer altitudes. B-52 The warfighter must also be able to identify and track these tar- Airborne Electronic Attack is an enhancement based on the capabilities gets. Boeing Support Systems in January demonstrated the ability to of the EA-18G Growler and is one that would fundamentally change the track moving targets using an infrared targeting pod on the B-1 and mission of the B-52. AEA—also known as Core Component Jammer— is working to deploy this technology to the fleet. The B-52 program would enable the B-52 to stand off at long distances and use jamming also has successfully integrated Litening Pods on the B-52—these technology to protect other U.S. Air Force assets in theater, such as B-2 pods include Low Light TV, Infrared, Laser Designator and Data stealth aircraft. IDS Support Systems expects to be in the predemonstra- Link capabilites—and is currently developing a universal interface tion phase by late 2007. allowing the use of Litening, Sniper or Advanced Targeting Pods. As advanced new weapons emerge, bombers must be upgraded B-1 to accommodate them. That’s a complex endeavor involving The B-1 program is developing a targeting radar to distinguish between updating and integrating software, hardware, and electrical and multiple stationary and moving targets simultaneously in all weather. mechanical enhancements to the aircraft. This would enable pilots to accurately identify targets passed along by Boeing just completed the $2.8 billion Conventional Mission ground forces. Data gathered by the radar also could provide intel- Upgrade Program for the U.S. Air Force, changing the B-1 from a ligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information, complementing nuclear alert bomber to conventional weapons carrier. that gathered from airborne warning and command system aircraft or “During Operation Desert Storm the B-1 was standing nuclear unmanned combat vehicles. alert while the B-52 and B-2 were carrying conventional weap- ons,” said Greg Burton, B-1/B-2 program director. “B-1s and B-2 B-52s are delivering the vast majority of Joint Direct Attack A new B-2 upgrade is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound Munitions in the three most recent conflicts. The enhancements (13,600 kilogram) penetrating bomb developed by Boeing in St. Charles, we’ve completed on the B-1 are widely regarded as a tremendous Mo., for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The B-2 could carry two accomplishment.” of the bombs for use on extremely “hard,” or fortified, deeply buried Modernization. As weapons systems are upgraded, replacing targets. The B-52 program is designing the carriage and release equip- decades-old technology onboard the aircraft with state-of-the-art ment for the B-2. Capitalizing on its experience in weapons integration, it systems becomes critical. The B-52’s Avionics Midlife Improve- is using a B-52 as a test platform. The U.S. Congress added funding for ment (AMI) and Electronic Countermeasure Integration (ECMI) this program in its 2007 budget. are prime examples of Support Systems’ modernization efforts.

14 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n COVER STORY

The AMI upgrades bolster offensive avionics systems, such as those needed for weapons guidance. ECMI upgrades focus on defen- Employees support bombers around the U.S. sive avionics systems such as radar jammers, which jam radar signals More than 1,000 Boeing employees in the United States work on attempting to identify the aircraft or to launch a missile against it. U.S. Air Force bomber programs in support of the B-1, the B-2 and the “AMI replaces the heart and soul of the B-52’s offensive system B-52. These platforms are vital to the Air Force’s need for global preci- with a 21st-century system: , data storage, memory and navigation systems,” said Oathout. “Navigation systems are a criti- sion strike capabilities in a world of diminished forward basing. The cal part of an offensive system, and Boeing has undergone a six-year modifications and upgrades provided by Integrated Defense Systems effort to make sure these navigation system upgrades are right.” Support Systems give these aircraft new capabilities and increase the Other modernization activities include work done by B-1 em- platforms’ role in network-centric warfare. Whether at a Boeing facility ployees in Long Beach, Calif., who are on contract to replace old or a customer base, Boeing employees provide valuable services to displays and gauges with a “glass cockpit”—upgrading mono- these much-needed aircraft. chrome, analog displays to digital, LCD multifunction displays— Employee locations: and connecting these to existing controls and data sources. Long Beach, Calif. (B-1) “These new displays integrate a variety of applications into a single display, called data fusion,” said Rich Parke, B-1 Advanced Oklahoma City (B-1, B-2) Programs manager. “Similar to how a Boeing employee’s job Seattle (B-2) might require the use of PowerPoint, Excel and Word, these new Palmdale/Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (B-1, B-2, B-52) displays integrate software applications and provide simultaneous support to a variety of mission activities.” Wichita, Kan. (B-52) These might include close air support to troops under fire; stra- U.S. Air Force Bases where B-1s, B-2s and B-52s are stationed tegic attack interdiction; maritime interdiction; and nontraditional and receive maintenance: intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, such as taking aer- ial photos of a particular location and transmitting them back to Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas (B-1) Edwards AFB, Calif. (B-1) Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, S.D. (B-1) Whiteman AFB, Knob Noster, Mo. (B-2) Minot AFB, Minot, N.D. (B-52) Barksdale AFB, Bossier City, La. (B-52) Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (B-1, B-52)

Jennifer Tsai explains a prototype B-1 Network Centric display to Nick Phan. Tsai and Phan are development engi- neers in the B-1 Advanced Information Engineering organization of Integrated Defense Systems. M ICH A E L G I photo

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 15 n COVER STORY the Combined Air Operations Center via data link. Indeed, the B-1 and B-52 did this during the Joint Expeditionary Forces Experi- ment 2006 exercise. Connectivity. New, enhanced software integrates a tremendous volume of data into a single source. As a result, an aircraft’s con- nectivity is important. Connectivity enables bombers to transmit and receive large volumes of data between aircraft and to and from ground forces in real time. It serves as the framework for the role of the B-52, B-1 and B-2 in network-centric operations. The B-2 program is working on Extreme High Frequency Satellite Communication. This will enable the B-2 to communi- cate securely with at high bandwidth data rates that allow users to view streaming video and connect it to the global informa- tion grid. The Air Force has a goal of networking all assets so that information is received by all in real time. IDS Support Systems also is in the development phase of the B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) program. It allows aircraft to receive and transmit data electroni- cally—even directly to a weapon—instead of relying on voice channels. Connectivity enhancements, coupled with weapons and sys- tems upgrades, make the bomber an incredibly versatile and flex- ible aircraft. Because battle plans can change while a bomber is en route to the theater, digital retargeting of munitions in real-time in the cockpit allows aircrews to adapt quickly. By transmitting information electronically, troops can convey more data faster, and directly into the weapon. Also, this data can come from the ground, a central command center in the theater, or via satellite. The first B-52 arrived in Wichita, Kan., in August for a nine- month CONECT modification program to install the datalinks. Following major modification, each bomber then will travel to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for flight testing. The B-1 and B-2 will receive similar enhancements. The Fully Integrated Link integrates the B-1 into the global information grid, providing beyond-line-of-sight and line-of-site secure connectiv- ity. It will allow the weapon system to respond more quickly to

By the numbers Percentage of bomber sorties in Afghanistan by the B-1—which delivered 40 percent of total bomb tonnage In Wichita, Kan., Ken Scherban (left) and Richard Tolman inspect a 5 B-52 External Weapons Pylon in the Weapons Integration Lab prior to installation of the newly developed Integrated Weapons Inter- Percentage of the B-2 aircraft Boeing is responsible for under face Unit. The IWIU replaces several pieces of obsolete weapons- subcontract to Northrop Grumman release equipment and preserves the combat capability of the B-52.

30 BOB F ERG US ON photo

emerging threats identified by offboard sensors and be retasked by Number of hours of the first B-52 mission during Operation command authorities, and to employ weapons against time-critical 35 Desert Storm—the longest nonstop combat sortie in history targets using real-time digital information. Along with upgraded displays, the crews’ situational awareness, survivability and mis- Percentage of all JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) sion effectiveness are dramatically enhanced. delivered to date that have come from a B-1 “Precision strikes anywhere, anytime are the B-1’s forte,” 40 said U.S. Air Force Col. James Hall, Commander 555th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. “As more capa- Number of B-52s built by Boeing bility is added through ongoing upgrades to sensors and data links, 744 the B-1 will be even more effective in projecting global power.” Sustainment. Keeping a platform maintained and operationally effective is another critical area for the U.S. Air Force. IDS Sup- Total number of flight hours flown by port Systems devotes significant resources to keeping bomber air- 500,000 the B-1 fleet craft flying, taking care of aging parts and performing periodic maintenance.

16 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n COVER STORY

Boeing B-2/Air-Launched Cruise Missile/Conventional Air- Launched Cruise Missile Program Manager John Griffith noted the B-2 requires a greater level of maintenance than other bomber aircraft, as low-observable materials used on the B-2 are not as du- ‘It’s an awesome aircraft’ rable as those of an F-22 or Joint Strike Fighter. Meet Giao Vu, who works on modernizing the B-52 “After each mission the B-2 needs surface preparation and restoration,” Griffith said. “This makes it more costly to operate Integrated Defense Systems employee Giao Vu is a systems engineer than a newer, smaller aircraft, and we’re continually working with and a member of the B-52 Product Development Team in Wichita, Kan. [prime contractor] Northrop Grumman to improve maintenance An 18-year Boeing veteran, Vu recently shared with Boeing Frontiers a capabilities and lower costs.” bit about her role in enhancing this U.S. Air Force warfighter. The age of the B-52 also is a factor. The B-52 Life Cycle Man- agement Process takes a critical look at aging issues. It determines B-52 Systems Engineer what makes most sense: to sustain current parts, structures or sys- Giao Vu sits in front tems or to develop a solution that would integrate newer technol- of the B-52 navigator station in the System ogy—leveraging synergies to ensure best value for the customer. Integration Laboratory Likewise, the B-1 Central Integrated Test System program is an in Wichita, Kan., which enhancement that tracks the “health” of the aircraft and provides the is one of several on best path for troubleshooting and maintaining the airplane. Structur- site used to conduct al instrumentation tracks the health of the airframe and allows the integration testing/ Air Force to make informed decisions on use and maintenance. system verification and customer demonstra- tions. Staying power Ted Whiteside photo All four elements of bomber enhancement together make these platforms highly effective in combat and show-of-force situations. Day after day, around the clock, U.S. Air Force bombers can be found flying over various locations around the world. Indeed, the bomber has evolved into an incredibly versatile and flexible air- craft, capable of meeting the needs of the modern warfighter. In March, the B-1 passed the 500,000 flying-hour milestone and has proven to be the workhorse of the Air Force’s bomber fleet. “The B-1 continues to be the bomber of choice for our com- Q: Describe the role of IDS Support Systems when it comes to batant commanders, leveling enemy positions with pinpoint accu- maintaining and modernizing the B-52. racy,” said Col. Jeffrey Smith, 28th Bomb Wing Commander at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. “We are proud of its successes and A: IDS Support Systems plays an important role in maintaining and equally proud of the men and women who designed, built and fly modernizing the B-52 platform. We have dedicated staff working this national asset, defending our freedoms well into the future.” with the B-52 customers to address aircraft operational issues and to While the B-1 and B-2 are relatively new, the B-52 is nearly enhance and upgrade aircraft capabilities. We’ve been successful in 50 years old. From a structural-life perspective, however, IDS maintaining a good working relationship with our B-52 customers as well. Support Systems leaders believe all three platforms still have a lot Q: What are you currently working on in support of the B-52? of life left in them. Current projections for B-1 and B-52 validate a service life beyond 2040. A: Right now I’m working with the B-52 Air Force Reserve wing to inte- “I believe they’ll continue to be useful,” said Burton. “The chal- grate a software tool kit that they’ve developed to improve the utility of lenge for Boeing is in putting together a positive, affordable solu- targeting pods on the B-52. The B-52 currently supports the targeting tion and approach for the Air Force customer.” pod called Litening. Near term we hope to be able to support the Sniper Indeed, last year’s reorganization of IDS businesses that placed advanced targeting pod, which allows the aircrew to locate and identify all bomber programs into one organization—Support Systems— targets using high-resolution, forward-looking infrared sensors. They’re means the opportunity for sharing ideas and developing affordable also used for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions. solutions is much stronger. Another project involves working with various B-52 Air Force customers “Our enhancements take advantage of the synergy between and Boeing engineers to prepare for the B-52 participation in the 2008 platforms,” said Griffith. “We expect now that we’re all under the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment (a large-scale event that occurs same leadership in Support Systems we’ll get even more synergy, every two years). now and into the future.” Ultimately, the needs of the warfighter have evolved and Q: What’s it like from an engineering perspective to work on an Boeing bomber aircraft have evolved with them. And IDS Support aircraft that’s more than 50 years old? Systems continues to work hard to bring this segment of global A: Maintaining and modernizing a 50-year-old aircraft is challenging. warfare into the 21st century. Fortunately, we have a very experienced and dedicated B-52 team “It’s more than enhancing the capabilities and supporting the here in Wichita to support this aircraft. The B-52 remains an effective platform. The enhancements being made to Boeing’s bombers bomber through continued modernization efforts supporting today’s have fundamentally changed the mission the aircraft perform,” mission needs. The B-52 maintains an 80 percent mission-capable said Oathout. “We’ve stepped up to the challenge, and that’s why rate, and it’s an awesome aircraft! we’re still here.” n [email protected]

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 17 n SHARED SERVICES GROUP Preparing for the unthinkable sponse. But Boeing’s volunteer responders What if an emergency are already on site and can help their fel- low employees with first-aid needs imme- happened at your site? diately,” Gordon said. VDRTs are one element in helping mini- Here’s what to remember mize the disruption caused by a disaster. All Boeing employees play an important role. By Ellen Whitford “We need all employees to under- t’s September, and across the United stand their personal responsibility in en- States more than 1,000 organizations suring workplace preparedness,” Gordon Iand institutions, including Boeing, said. “There are several things they can have revved up efforts encouraging em- and should do to be prepared if a disaster ployees to prepare for emergencies and di- strikes while they are at a Boeing site.” sasters. September, designated as National Among these actions: Preparedness Month, is a time for contem- • Learn the Boeing disaster informa- plating the unimaginable and taking steps tion hotline number: 1-800-899-6431 in to be ready if it occurs: Get a kit. Make a the United States (international employ- plan. Be informed. Get involved. ees can reach this number with operator “Boeing’s facilities are vulnerable assistance). This is one of the primary to a variety of natural disasters, and the ways Boeing communicates site informa- Shared Services Group’s Security and Fire tion to employees in a disruption. Employ- Protection organization is committed to ees should call the hotline for information helping manage emergencies created by a about a disaster’s impact on their site and catastrophic incident,” said Gary Gordon, the company. Its recorded information is Enterprise S&FP Emergency Prepared- updated as new information is obtained. ness program manager. “We help protect • Create a personal preparedness kit employees’ lives and the company’s facili- for your office and prepare to “shelter in ties and assets.” place” at work. Include any medicine you At Boeing sites in the United States and take daily, an extra pair of glasses, com- more than a dozen other countries, S&FP fortable shoes, an extra set of clothing, has established 44 Emergency Operation nonperishable snacks, and a paper address centers. Those centers are linked to an book that includes phone numbers for fam- Enterprise Crisis Management Center in ily members. For a full list of items, go to the Puget Sound region of Washington www.redcross.org. state, which can help coordinate the work • Learn the evacuation routes in your of the Emergency Operations centers. building so that you can leave quickly if Additionally, S&FP has a volun- necessary. In buildings you are visiting, teer program. The Volunteer Disaster make note of the nearest exits. Keep keys Responder Team (VDRT) program is com- and your wallet where you can grab them. posed of employees trained in first aid and • Identify hazards—things that can fall, cardiopulmonary resuscitation who re- move, break or create a fire—and report is- ceive further training to deal with the most sues to people authorized to address them. significant injuries that might occur in a For a list of possible hazards and how to han- disaster. In a catastrophic emergency, they dle them, go to S&FP’s Web site at http:// serve as first responders, helping injured disasterpreparedness.web.boeing.com/dp/ co-workers. The program includes about preparation/hazard_identify.htm on the 2,000 volunteers in Chicago, Puget Sound, Boeing intranet. Southern , Texas and Ohio. • To establish a VDR program at a “Any event that strikes with little or no Boeing site or volunteer on an existing team, warning and causes damage across a large send an e-mail to [email protected]. n [email protected]

18 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n SHARED SERVICES GROUP

Scott Van Dusen, Security and Get ready, on the home front Fire Protection preparedness administrator in Houston, talks Disasters often strike without warning and can force with an employee during hur- you to evacuate your house, workplace, school or ricane awareness week earlier neighborhood—even your city. Do you know what you this year. S&FP has established would do? Would you be ready if basic services— 44 Emergency Operation centers water, gas, electricity and telephones—were cut? that are prepared to respond in a disaster. September is National Preparedness Month in the United States, when the Department of Homeland Security and the National Preparedness Month Coalition—of which Boeing is a member—urge people to take steps to prepare their homes and fami- lies for emergencies. Here are some crucial steps. Make a kit. Prepare emergency supplies that allow you and your family to survive for at least three days. What the kit should include: • Water: one gallon per person per day for a minimum of three days. • Nonperishable food for three days, plus a manual can opener. • Bedding, extra clothing, sturdy shoes and rain gear. • First-aid kit and manual. • Supplies such as a flashlight, portable radio, extra batteries, a shovel, cash and coins. • Special items such as prescription medicine or necessities for young children or pets. For lists of items to include in an emergency kit (and a smaller kit for your car), visit the American Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org and the disaster preparedness portion of Boeing’s Security and Fire Protection Web site, at http://securityandfire.web. boeing.com/dp/preparation on the Boeing intranet. Make a plan. Decide how you would evacuate your house and would communicate if family members were separated when disaster strikes. Select a location where everyone would meet. Practice your escape plan. Encourage family members to plan and practice evacuation routes from work, school and other places where they spend time. Plan how to contact each other. Consider designat- ing someone who lives elsewhere as a contact. In a disaster, it might be impossible to place a local call, while long distance calls go through. Someone out of town may be better able to check on family members and coordinate locations. If phone towers are affected, cell phones may not work, so everyone should carry a prepaid phone card or coins. For more ideas, visit www.ready.gov, a Department of Homeland Security Web site. Be informed. Do you know how to protect yourself in a fire or a tornado? Do you know cardiopulmonary resuscitation? Learn about different threats and how to respond at www.redcross.org and www.ready.gov. —Ellen Whitford

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 19 n INTEGRATED DEFENSE SYSTEMS A royal rush

A Mk2a Chinook approaches at high speed and initiates the start of its aerial display. The RAF Mk2a Chinook’s maneuvers included 90-degree banks, high-angle climb-outs and steep dives. E ri k Si m on s en photo

Boeing aircraft show In June, Alenia and Boeing were awarded a contract to their stuff at world’s produce the C-27J Spartan for the U.S. Air Force/U.S. Army largest military airshow Joint Cargo Aircraft program.

By Erik Simonsen

very July, the world’s largest military air show—the Royal International EAir Tattoo in the United Kingdom— draws thousands of spectators and the best of the world’s military air arms. Held at the Royal Air Force Fairford airbase, the show offers an excellent op- portunity for Boeing and other aerospace contractors to meet with international customers as well as entertain spectators with magnificent aeronautical displays. The RAF’s current strategic thinking of “Agile, Adaptable and Capable” was the theme for the July 14 and 15 event. Boeing’s key message was how the com- pany is growing its onshore footprint and capability. The U.S. Air Force marked

20 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n INTEGRATED DEFENSE SYSTEMS

A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender tanker was on static display

A Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Hornet performs precise 360-degree rolls during a high-speed pass.

Known as the workhorse of the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet, the B-1B Lancer, which can operate at 477,000 pounds (216,000 kilograms), displayed its agility.

its 60th anniversary with a Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration. Also, the RAF made their annual appearance. Boeing was well represented on the flight line with both static and flying displays of both in-production and his- torical aircraft. Among these aircraft were a Boeing/Alenia C-27J Spartan, a B-52H Stratofortress, a B-1B Lancer, an F-15E Strike Eagle, a KC-10 Extender, a C-17 Globemaster III from the Royal Air Force, an Mk2a Chinook, an E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, an F/A-18C Hornet from the Swiss Air Force and a Luftwaffe F-4F Phantom. All in all, the show provided a superb venue for Boeing to highlight its market, business and programs—and enhance the already solid bonds between the United Kingdom and the United States. n [email protected]

Trailing vortices off its wingtips, a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle performs a high-speed knife-edge pass.

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 21 22 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 23 n COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES Service-ready Boeing is working behind the scenes to ensure the world’s airlines are ready to take full advantage of the Dreamliner’s advanced technologies

By Adam Morgan ments has been a tremendous effort toward ences. The company provided attend- ensuring the world is ready for the new ees with a detailed review of the many here has been a lot of talk lately about airplane—both from an operational and a advanced e-Enabled capabilities and the newest member of Boeing’s servicing standpoint. the digital support data system that are Tcommercial airplane family—the “The 787 will provide a greater level standard on every 787. super-efficient 787 Dreamliner. of integrated e-Enabled connectivity and “The 787 leverages today’s technologies In the past few months, The Boeing functionality than any other commercial such as composites and e-Enabled systems Company has shown the world the new airplane,” said Craig Savio, 787 Services architecture to provide our customers with production system that will eventually leader. “We want to help our customers a more efficient and reliable airplane,” said enable a new Dreamliner to roll off the take full advantage of this new technol- Susan Evans, 787 Service Engineering se- production line every three days. Boeing ogy. We are working together to develop nior manager. “We want the industry to ex- has also showcased the many laboratories a comprehensive Service Ready plan that perience a smooth entry into service of the around the world that test airplane systems ensures they are able to realize the many 787. The Service Ready conferences allow to ensure they function properly and work benefits of this new airplane.” us to work with our customers to ensure together as one integrated system. More For two years the 787 Services group has they have a clear understanding of the new recently, the first 787 Dreamliner was worked with airline customers from around materials, technologies and systems on the revealed to the world at the Dreamliner the world to ensure they are ready and ca- airplane. They also help them make deci- Premiere event in Everett, Wash. pable to take full advantage of the advanced sions and plans based on new support ini- These activities provided only glimpses technologies of the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing tiatives and products.” of the work carried out on the 787 program has hosted more than 700 representatives The e-Enabled features that come over the past five years. One of the most sig- from airlines and supplier partners for a standard with the 787 include Boeing’s nificant behind-the-scenes accomplish- series of four-day Service Ready confer- Electronic Flight Bag, which gives pilots

Customers recently got a glimpse of the first 787 off the production line in Everett, Wash. In the years leading up to the 787 Dreamliner Premiere event, Boeing hosted more than 700 representatives from airlines and supplier partners for a series of four-day Service Ready conferences. ak e photo ti m s t

24 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES instant digital access to key information, from navigational charts to flight and main- tenance manuals to a calculator that deter- mines ideal speeds and engine settings; Follow the leader the Maintenance Performance Toolbox, an integrated application tool set that serves as a single location for operator mainte- nance and repair data; the Onboard Health Management System that allows the air- plane to report on the fitness of its systems; and the Crew Information System, which provides wireless connectivity to airports. Boeing also has given customers de- tails on the extensive digital support data system, which moves support data away from page-based manuals and provides in- tegrated technical support data electroni- cally through MyBoeingFleet.com. The conferences also highlighted the new training standard Boeing and its whol- ly owned subsidiary, Alteon Training, LLC, Y S photo will introduce with the 787 Dreamliner. WA

Basic elements include a robust training A IR entitlement package and training resources K ENY that will allow customers to tailor training Kenya Airways Managing Director and CEO Titus Naikuni (left) and Lee Monson, to meet their individual flight and mainte- Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for the Middle East & Africa, unveil the nance requirements. commemorative inaugural plaque located at the entrance to The Pride Centre. “Our new training standard is like no training program offered before,” said By Brian Walker Al Nader, 787 Training director. “This Other significant contributions include knowledge sharing, consultation on new worldwide, paperless training sys- uring the July 26 inaugural cer- tem with access to real-time, up-to-date course content and exploration of future emony for Kenya Airways’ Pride on-site training opportunities. The com- airplane maintenance data, coupled with Centre (a training and leadership- desktop simulation, brings the airplane D pany also sponsors five local-area Nairobi development facility just outside Nairobi), into the virtual training environment and schools and recently donated funds for the Lee Monson, Commercial Airplanes vice construction of a new school not far from is unparalleled in the industry. It offers our president of Sales for the Middle East and customers a unique capability to access Kenya Airways’ new training facility. Africa, was pleasantly surprised by a ques- “We’re serious about our commitment high-quality training information and, tion one of the many young students in at- through the Internet, stay current even af- to developing strong leaders,” said Rick tendance asked with shiny-eyed enthusiasm Stephens, Boeing’s senior vice president, ter formal training is completed.” and obvious thoughts to his future: “What The Service Ready conferences are just Human Resources and Administration. do you look for in a good employee?” “It’s all the more rewarding to know that one tool the 787 Program has used to sup- Given the circumstances of the day— port the overall Service Ready plan, which our customers look to Boeing for guidance Boeing and Kenya Airways celebrating and input as they work to enhance skills includes three readiness pieces: airplane, collaboration in making The Pride Centre support products and services, and cus- development in their own country.” a reality—Monson explained how compa- Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways manag- tomers. Ensuring all three pieces are ready nies look for and seek to develop leader- is an important part in the successful intro- ing director and CEO, has played a pivotal ship qualities in their employees. role in developing business relationships duction of the 787 into the marketplace. “It’s very encouraging,” Monson said, “When introducing a new airplane into with companies such as Boeing to fund “to see the poise, dedication and inquisi- projects aimed at creating more opportuni- the marketplace, Boeing takes responsibil- tiveness young Kenyans demonstrate as ity for not only ensuring our product—in ty for young Kenyans. “The opening of The they strive for greater education and the op- Pride Centre,” he said, “is another mile- this case the airplane—is ready, but also portunity to work toward future success.” verifying the support products and services stone for Kenya Airways as we work to- As Monson spoke, the young man’s eyes ward building a more successful tomorrow we provide are ready,” Savio said. “In the glanced from time to time to the newly re- case of the 787 and all the new technology for the airline and for Kenya as a whole. furbished building in the background. It was “We appreciate Boeing’s commitment that comes standard, we have also made obvious that Boeing and Kenya Airways the commitment to work with our custom- to our working relationship and value their had accomplished at least one of their shared participation in helping to make this train- ers to ensure they are ready to make the goals: create opportunity for the future. 787 work for them and their unique busi- ing and leadership centre a regional suc- Boeing partially funded The Pride n ness models.” n cess in East Africa,” he said. Centre and hosted Kenya Airways staff at [email protected] [email protected] Boeing’s Leadership Center in St. Louis.

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 25 n COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES

and 3,000counting Boeing Everett celebrates a ntz photo 3,000th widebody jetliner delivery Wi ll i am W

By Bill Seil grams including 777-300ERs, 777 bined, the 747, 767 and 777 have complet- Freighters, 747-8 Freighters and ed more than 34.5 million flights through he Boeing Everett, Wash., site 787 Dreamliners. In addition, the airline June 2007. They have logged approxi- reached a major milestone in has four 737s on order from the Boeing mately 148 million flight hours, or nearly TAugust with the delivery of its factory in Renton, Wash. 17,000 years of flight time. The airplanes 3,000th widebody jetliner. The milestone Ross R. Bogue, vice president and have flown approximately 71 billion nauti- recognizes the remarkable success of the general manager, 747/767/777 Airplane cal miles (131 billion kilometers), which is 747, 767 and 777 programs, which have Programs and Everett site, thanked Korean the equivalent of flying around the world revolutionized international travel and Air for its decades of support and lauded 3.3 million times. airfreight operations. employees for their role in reaching the The 3,000th delivery of a Boeing wide- The 3,000th widebody delivery is a new milestone. body jetliner at the Everett site comes just 777-200ER (Extended Range) for Korean “We can all take great pride in this nine years after the plant celebrated its Air, a long-time Boeing customer. The air- achievement,” Bogue said. “The Boeing 2,000th delivery—a 747-400 to British line plans to use the new 777 for long-haul 747, 767 and 777 are amazing airplanes Airways. That delivery occurred on May business routes to the Americas, Europe with an unparalleled record of reliability. 15, 1998. The plant’s 1,000th widebody de- and the Middle East. Today, more than 80 percent of the air- livery on Aug. 14, 1989, was a 767-300ER Korean Air has a fleet of 123 airplanes, planes produced by this plant are still in delivered to Scandinavian Airlines. which includes 13 777-200ERs, four service.” Over the years, Boeing widebody 777-300s, 24 747-400s and 21 747- Over the years, the 3,000 widebody air- jetliners have set records and made 400 Freighters. It also has 35 air- planes assembled at the Everett site have headlines. In 2005, a Boeing 777-200 planes on order from the Everett pro- established a strong track record. Com- Longer Range Worldliner established a

26 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES

3,000 747s, 767s and 777s built at Boeing’s Everett site The 3,000th widebody airplane produced by the Boeing site in Everett, Wash., a 777-200ER for 3,000th Everett-built airplane: Korean Air 777-200ER Korean Air, rolls out of the paint Delivered August 2007 hangar in early August. 2,000th Everett-built airplane: British Airways 747-400 Delivered May 1998 1,000th Everett-built airplane: Scandinavian Airlines 767-300ER Delivered August 1989 First Everett-built airplane: Pan Am World Airways 747-100 Delivered December 1969 Airplanes in service: 2,610 – More than 80 percent of the airplanes built in Everett over the last 40 years Total flights completed: 34.5 million Total flight hours: Approximately 148 million hours, nearly 17,000 years of flight time Total fleet mileage: Approximately 71 billion nautical miles, the equivalent of flying around the world 3.3 million times

new world record for distance traveled flights by intermediate-size twin-engine nonstop by a commercial airplane—11,664 airplanes like the 767 and 777. nautical miles (21,602 km)—when it flew The 747 program in March 2007 reached from Hong Kong to London Heathrow a major milestone when it surpassed the Airport. In May 2007, the company an- 1,500 order mark. The 747, along with the and nounced that its 777 jetliner fleet complet- 737, continues to be one of the longest- ed its 1 millionth flight under regulations lasting and most successful commercial for extended operations (ETOPS). airplane programs in history. Boeing widebodies have pioneered The 767 has also established an impres- ETOPS, beginning in 1985 when a 767 in sive overall sales record. In February, it counting transatlantic service performed the world’s reached 1,000 orders, joining an elite group first ETOPS flight. Before ETOPS, large of airplanes that includes , 727, four-engine and three-engine airplanes 737, 747, 757 and MD-80 models. dominated air travel between Europe and The company’s experience in building North America. Today, more than 70 per- widebody airplanes has taken some inter- cent of all transatlantic flights are ETOPS esting turns over the past 40 years. For ex-

The 767-400ER was introduced in 2000 during a world tour to 17 cities on three continents. The airplane making the tour had a distinctive look, both inside and out, featuring illustrations from Greek mythology and drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. The words “Leading the Way” were displayed on the fuselage. boeing photo

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 27 n COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES

All Nippon Airways in 1993 took delivery of a 747-400 with special “flying fish” livery. The artwork, created by a 12-year-old girl, was the winning entry in an ANA-sponsored contest to commemorate the airline’s mile- stone of 500 million passengers. It featured a variety of sea creatures superimposed on a huge blue whale. BOEING photo

ample, the 767 has been adapted to serve with the 747, and then went on to develop increased passenger comfort and conve- as a military tanker and as a platform for a successful family of widebody twinjets. nience. the Airborne Warning and Control Sys- We continue to lead the way.” In addition to the Dreamliner, exist- tem. The 747 has been adapted to serve as The Boeing Company’s success in the ing members of the Boeing widebody fleet Air Force One and as a transport vehicle to development of widebody jets is due in will soon have new derivatives. The new carry the space shuttle. large part to its solid understanding of the 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 Freight- Some widebody deliveries were mem- world jetliner market. er will offer airlines the lowest operating orable because of the unique look of the Joe Sutter, who led the engineering costs and best economies of any large pas- airplanes. In July 1993, All Nippon Air- team that created the Boeing 747, believes senger or freighter airplane. The designa- ways’ newest Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet the 767 and 777 were logical complements tion 747-8 was chosen to show the technol- was unveiled to amazed onlookers, includ- to the larger 747. They allowed passengers ogy connection between the 787 and the ing a proud 12-year-old girl from Chiba to bypass major international hubs and new 747. In addition, Boeing launched the Prefecture, Japan. The exterior paint de- travel directly between secondary popula- 777 Freighter program in May 2005. sign featured a variety of sea creatures tion centers. The resulting “market frag- Based on the 777-200LR platform, the superimposed on a huge blue whale. The mentation” opened new opportunities for 777 Freighter will be the world’s most livery was designed by the girl, who had the flying public. capable twin-engine freighter. won a contest sponsored by the airline “This point-to-point flying serves trav- The Boeing widebody family also in- to commemorate ANA’s milestone of elers better by providing them with great- cludes DC-10 and MD-11 airplanes, which 500 million passengers. er choice and convenience in travel times were produced by McDonnell Douglas. The ultimate importance of Boeing and by reducing the need for layovers or Deliveries of these widebody commer- widebody airplanes lies in the way they costly overnight stays,” Sutter said. “The cial airplanes totaled 586 after production have changed our lives. By pioneering 787 Dreamliner will continue this ongoing ceased in 2000. Boeing and McDonnell widebody jetliners, Boeing revolutionized trend of bypass flying. So will the 747-8 in Douglas merged in 1997. international air travel. Trips to far-off markets with high travel demand.” Boeing Everett opened its major man- lands soon became affordable. In addition, Boeing has been recognized for its ufacturing facilities on May 1, 1967. The widebodies, with their large cargo capaci- widebody aircraft since the first 747 went first employees to work in the buildings ty and low ton-mile cost, opened a new era into service in 1970. It was followed by the were called “The Incredibles.” That nick- in the airfreight industry. 767 in 1982 and the 777 in 1995. The new- name recognized their efforts to develop “Our world has become smaller and more est member of the widebody family, the the 747, the world’s first jumbo jet. The interconnected,” noted Mike Lombardi, 787 Dreamliner, is expected to enter ser- history of the Everett site is described in a Boeing corporate historian. “I firmly be- vice in 2008. The Dreamliner, the world’s Boeing Everett 40th anniversary Web site, lieve that this is a result of the widebodies, first mostly composite commercial jetlin- which can be found at www.boeing.com/ which brought the dream of world travel to er, will use 20 percent less fuel per passen- everett40. n average people. Boeing launched this era ger than similarly sized airplanes and offer [email protected]

28 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n FEATURE STORY Achieving ‘great things’

In this 2006 image, employees of DePaul Health Center in St. Louis recreate a day of patient flow-through using a model of the facility’s emergency department. Boeing employees helped DePaul improve its Lean practices.

dave martin photo

Why ‘citizenship’ best fits Boeing’s Roosevelt said the role of Boeing’s GCC function is to align and integrate the diverse interests, motivations and resources of role in supporting communities Boeing’s stakeholders. “Societies and businesses are interdependent for long-term vi- ability. Considering the global issues of climate change, the threat By Susan Birkholtz of terrorism and immigration, the imperative for alignment and in- tegration among internal and external stakeholders is extreme, and hen Boeing vice president Anne Roosevelt talks about we can play a key role,” Roosevelt said. the place of business in society, she uses the term “citi- “Boeing has unique skills, including our ability to be inno- Wzenship”—specifically, global corporate citizenship— vative and bring many different people and elements together to rather than any other term. achieve a common goal. By applying these skills to improving our This makes sense, since not long ago Roosevelt led the change communities, we can achieve great things that benefit everyone,” of the function’s name from Community and Education Rela- she said. tions—which she said did not fully capture the potential of the Roosevelt’s aim for GCC is to be a facilitator of community function’s role in the company—to Global Corporate Citizenship. change, not simply a source of community funding. “To us, the en-

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 29 n FEATURE STORY

ergy and creativity we inspire in our community partners to solve the world in every dimension in which it operates—including the problems collectively should be more important than the size of physical, social and economic realms. our check,” she added. Employees play a key role in citizenship, Roosevelt said. To that end, Roosevelt wants to move the function from an “Our employees are an integral means by which we live out our input mentality to an outpoint mentality—considering not the role as a global corporate citizen, and complement what we contrib- money donated or hours volunteered, but what societal out- ute to our communities on a corporate basis,” she said. “All of us comes it expects to influence. have the opportunity to demonstrate global corporate citizenship, both inside the company as well as outside the company, as we in- teract with our suppliers, customers and community members.” Anne Roosevelt, vice president, Global Corporate Citizenship, said the mission of the function she leads is to align and integrate Roosevelt cited several instances of employees volunteering in the diverse interests, motivations and resources of Boeing’s their communities, using the skills they have learned at Boeing. stakeholders. Among them: An F/A-18 team helped a St. Louis hospital trans- form its emergency room procedures, cutting wait times for non- critical visits from four or five hours to about 90 minutes (see page 31 of the February 2006 Boeing Frontiers). “This wasn’t a GCC-organized project, and it received no fund- ing from Boeing. A group of employees just saw a need and figured out how they could help. That’s true citizenship,” Roosevelt said. “Our collective challenge as a company is to find ways to fa- cilitate in a more structured way the application of our employees’ skills and experience to help improve society in partnership with community organizations,” she continued. “Just think of the good we could achieve if the skills, experience, dedication and innova- tion of our employees were put to work helping our communities solve problems. That would be worth so much more than Boeing would be able to give in any financial way. “I encourage our employees to start thinking of ways, as the St. Louis team did, to use their unique capabilities to contribute to Boeing’s global corporate citizenship and improve our world,” Roosevelt said. Citizenship, then, is expressed in how a corporation and its em- ployees carry out its business, both internally and externally, she said, in partnership and collaboration with society. “I believe that citizenship is part and parcel of what a company is and how it acts—not an adjunct,” she continued. “For example, at Boeing, global corporate citizenship is much more than simply the name of a department or function. It is listed among the core values of the company, as stated in Vision 2016 (the company’s mission statement). Communities also are included among our key groups of stakeholders in our Boeing Management Model, which guides how we operate as a company.” When one suggests that corporate “citizenship” is just another way of saying corporate social responsibility, Roosevelt respect- fully disagrees. “I believe that corporate social responsibility is an output or expression of citizenship, rather than citizenship itself. Similarly, ‘sustainability’ is a logical extension of citizenship,” she said. “Citizenship is the core identity—the DNA from which all m i k e slau ghter photo positive action and interaction by a corporation springs, wheth- “Our vision is to be to be a global corporate leader, working in er one calls those actions corporate social responsibility or some- concert with others to shape a world where individuals can thrive thing else.” and every community is a vibrant place to live,” Roosevelt said. For Roosevelt, citizenship is not a static thing that can be de- To accomplish this vision, we invest a portfolio of resources—of scribed exactly. “Citizenship continually evolves as society and its which cash is just one part—to motivate, educate and assist our needs evolve. Its definition lies in our response to those needs. It community partners in creating positive change that has lasting calls us all equally to get engaged, to bring our skills and talents— community impact.” our best selves—to our efforts, both large and small,” she said. More than funding Integral to the business Although philanthropy—in the form of strategic cash grants— Roosevelt believes it’s imperative for those who lead corporate is a viable tool to improve communities, for Roosevelt, citizenship citizenship activities to continually build and demonstrate commu- is not about how much money a corporation distributes charita- nity partnerships that are as integral to the continued success of the bly. Rather, citizenship is reflected in how a corporation affects company as the relationships it builds with its business partners.

30 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n FEATURE STORY

“We can achieve this by aligning our activities in the com- munity with the competencies of the business in order to create a corporate entity able to address social change issues effectively,” Roosevelt said. “Meeting societal needs and business success are complementary goals. The premise is that if citizenship and busi- ness performance are equally integral to a company’s mission, rep- utation and long-term viability will take care of themselves.” Roosevelt said corporations must align their unconnected “socially responsible” activities with their business. “From there they can move on to integrate these values into our key business decisions and long-term strategic planning,” she said. “Today, much more is expected of business that ever before—to work in partnership with our communities along with our other key stakeholders, using our core competencies and financial suc- cess to make the world and our collective futures secure; to answer the call of citizenship and become true leaders of social change,” she continued. According to Roosevelt, true corporate citizens lead by em- powering others to take control of their own lives and helping them to solve their own problems. “That is 21st century leader- ship,” she said. “And that’s what citizenship is—it is ongoing part- nership, striving to do what is right, helping each other, respect- ing that which is unfamiliar to us, and enabling health and human dignity with the confidence that we can indeed live in a world of PHOTO CO U RTE S Y O F THE AM ERIC A N RE D CRO SS peace.” n Boeing’s Norma Clayton (upper left) and Adam Burkey (sitting) took [email protected] part in a recent site investigation of Hurricane Katrina–affected areas of New Orleans and Mississippi, to see how support from Boeing and its employees was helping people. Among their stops: a visit with a family living in a government-provided trailer in Mississippi. Seven people live in the trailer, five of whom are pic- tured here, while they wait for more permanent housing.

New GCC Corporate Team complete The new Boeing Global Corporate Citizen- ship corporate team, led by Anne Roosevelt, GCC vice president, includes both GCC staff and adjunct members from other areas of the business, who are providing valuable perspective to GCC-related issues. The team, shown here, includes Seated, from left: Patrice Mingo, GCC direc- tor, Strategic Programs; Joyce Walters, GCC specialist, Education; Anne Roosevelt, GCC vice president; Cheryl Cooke, GCC specialist, Civic and Environment; Veronica Cavallaro, GCC specialist, Research and Measurement. Standing, from left: Peter Hoffman, Phan- tom Works; Naomi Anderson, GCC special- ist, Global Network Engagement; Gordon McHenry, director, Commercial Airplanes Global Corporate Citizenship; Michele j i m a n d er s on photo Thomas, GCC office assistant; Kelli Johnson, GCC office assistant; Danielle Thomas, GCC executive assistant; Herbert Lust, director, Strategy Integra- tion; Angel Ysaguirre, GCC specialist, Arts and Culture and Health and Human Services; Paulina Bendaña, Boeing International; Bridget Sweeney, GCC director, Business Operations; and Joanne Huggard, director, Integrated Defense Systems Global Corporate Citizenship. For team member bios, visit http://community.web.boeing.com/corp_team/team.cfm on the Boeing intranet.

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 31 n FEATURE STORY Tag, you’re it Boeing has championed radio frequency ID technology and bar coding. These applications could transform the industry.

Boeing Associate Technical Fellow Ken Porad and Boeing Technologist Susan Jordan demonstrate how a radio frequency ID tag affixed to a life vest might be read. Porad noted that Boeing customers he’s met with are eager to adopt RFID technology for use on air safety equipment, as the tags will dramatically reduce the time required to ensure all equipment is present. M a ri n Loc k h rt photo

32 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n FEATURE STORY

By Debby Arkell

ike time, technology improvements march on. High-memory radio frequency identification tags and unique item identifiers L(UII) were in their infancy as recently as three years ago, and the full scope of their application was not fully understood. RFID tags and unique identification (UID) markings contain extensive amounts of data and are complementary in nature. In simple terms, RFID tags are akin to antitheft devices one might find on merchandise at a local store. High-memory RFID tags are small, thin tags attached to parts, assemblies or other objects and can store and transmit the equivalent of multiple pages of informa- tion via an antenna and a microchip embedded into the antenna. Boeing also uses UIIs on what are known as 2D matrix barcodes, considered to be the next-generation barcode. These UID mark- ings—a variable-sized square black-and-white dotted matrix similar to what you’d see on an overnight delivery service package—can hold more information than a traditional barcode and be read even if the marking is significantly damaged. Affixed to or engraved on a part, 2D matrix UII data can include part number, contract number, original equipment manufacturer, date of manufacture and more. a n Air l ine s photo

Tags and barcodes are easily and quickly readable by handheld J a p and stationary scanners—and provide tremendous benefit to custom- Last year Boeing worked with Commercial Airplanes customer ers, suppliers and Boeing. Indeed, a Boeingwide team has been re- Japan Airlines to simulate and document the potential effects fining and improving storage capabilities and transmission methods, of having radio frequency identification tags attached to oxygen making a game-changing business case for industrywide use. generators on a 777-300. The exercise showed that thanks to RFID “We’re in the growth stage right now,” said Jeff Geear, project tags, inspections that used to take JAL mechanics 13 hours now manager for Automatic Identification Technologies in Integrated take 8.5 minutes—a benefit that can be replicated across the entire Defense Systems. “A couple of years ago we were learning about commercial airplane in-service fleet. standards and compliance, conducting pilot tests, and establishing the value we knew intuitively was inherent in these technologies. Now we’re shaping markets, forming strategies and driving change Boeing leads the charge into existing business processes—giving us what I believe will ul- Boeing has worked with the radio frequency identification tags timately be a competitive advantage in the industry.” technology industry, regulatory agencies, and standards-setting Models of maturity organizations to design and develop the world’s first passive, UID markings have advanced more quickly in implementation. extended-memory, ultra-high-frequency RFID transponder for use IDS began adding UID markings to parts in 2005 following a pol- on commercial airplanes. Boeing will implement this technology to icy change from the U.S. Department of Defense requiring unique improve operations and reduce the costs. identification and tracking of its high-value assets. Since initial im- Many other industries have been using similar RFID technologies plementation on the CH-47 program in Philadelphia, there has been for several years to track materials, share information, improve a significant maturation of UII use on military programs at most processes and reduce cost. IDS sites. Earlier this year the U.S. Senate RFID Caucus held its first panel “We view asset visibility as a global service, and our activi- discussion. Boeing Associate Technical Fellow Ken Porad and tech- ties in this regard are shaping the market,” Geear said. “We’re also nologist Susan Jordan participated as part of an industry group to closely following what Boeing Commercial Airplanes is doing brief senators and their staffs about how Boeing intends to deploy with RFID, and we’re sharing with our DOD customer the value RFID technology on airplanes and throughout the supply chain. this business model can provide.” RFID, meanwhile, is the more powerful of the two technologies. A nonprofit RFID Technology Council is promoting the understanding While RFID tag technology is not fully mature—and while the to- of RFID technologies and their impact on U.S. and world economies. tal production system isn’t quite ready to support its use—Boeing The council also works with government agencies, research institu- Associate Technical Fellow Ken Porad noted that RFID efforts in tions, nonprofits and U.S. industry toward better leveraging of RFID recent years have made significant progress on multiple fronts. technology—and it will address issues such as national security For starters, Porad said publishing standards on the use of RFID applications, international and state perspectives, industrial applica- tags was “a significant accomplishment,” since the effort involved tions, global standards and interoperability, and privacy and security. Boeing, , Bombardier and coming together to cre- The International RFID Business Association also recently an- ate global, published standards for RFID tag interoperability. nounced the formation of the RFID Educational Foundation. “Boeing and Airbus share approximately 70 percent common Launched early in 2007 as a nonprofit charitable foundation, the suppliers,” Porad said. “Suppliers want the same requirements organization is devoted to promoting and funding education pro- from companies they do business with, so it was very important to grams and research on RFID in the workplace in order to spur ac- have all major industry players involved in establishing standards ceptance and adoption of RFID in the global business community. prior to implementation.”

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 33 n FEATURE STORY

Second, Boeing has successfully completed three on-airplane RFID tag proof-of-concept tests—twice with passive tags, and once with active tags. Passive RFID tags have no power source embedded in them and are activated by a signal from a read- ing device; they can be read from an average distance of 10 feet (3 meters). Active tags contain a power source, which makes them essentially act as transmitters, and can be read from a distance of 300 feet (90 meters). As a result of those tests, the U.S. Federal Aviation Adminis- tration has agreed that passive RFID tag technology is safe, and granted certification. This means Boeing is now allowed to put passive tags on any commercial airplane in production today. RFID technology is not quite ready for use, but Boeing and its partners are getting close—much closer than was the case several years ago. Indeed, Porad said the third point of progress is that Boeing expects the technology to be near-service-ready by the end of 2007. Boeing is working with three RFID chip/tag designers— Intelleflex, Tego and Fujitsu. In fact, in mid-July in Seattle, Fujitsu’s Toshiya Sato and Tsuzumi Ninomiya successfully dem- onstrated their prototype of the world’s first 64 kilobyte fully passive RFID tag qualified for use on airplanes. It can be used with off-the-shelf readers. This demonstration represents a tre- mendous step forward. This leads to the fourth—and possibly the most significant— development: the value proposition, or business case, for RFID tags. Boeing has held multiple RFID workshops with airline cus- tomers in recent years, demonstrating how RFID can add value.

Who benefits? R ich a r d Rau photo Porad views the airline customer as the primary beneficiary of Mark McPeak, a munitions mechanic in St. Louis, places a Unique RFID technology, though benefits to Boeing and suppliers are also Item Identifier sticker on a Joint Direct Attack Munition kit. significant. Here’s how: Consider the safety equipment on a commercial airplane, such plane ‘heavy checks’ are far enough apart, JAL was replacing items as life vests under seats. Before every over-water flight everywhere with 19 months of life remaining because the next check would be in in the world, two or more crew members each spend 30 minutes more than 19 months,” said Phil Coop, RFID Service Ready project physically inspecting under every seat to ensure a vest is there. manager, and former aircraft maintenance supervisor at American Boeing has demonstrated that with passive RFID tags attached to Airlines. So JAL maintained a full set of “just-in-case” inventory. each vest, a single crew member with a handheld device can verify “Repeat this on every 777 and 767 in their fleet for heavy the location of all safety equipment in approximately five minutes. maintenance and you’re seeing a lot of cost and inefficiency,” New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport alone has Coop said. 1,000 flights per day, Porad said. “Extrapolate those numbers and Boeing worked with JAL to simulate and document the potential the labor-hour savings is phenomenal,” he added. effects of having a low-memory RFID tag, initialized with a few Another example pertains to the inspection and maintenance of specific process-critical data elements, attached to every oxygen oxygen generators—critical flight safety items designed to chemical- generator on a 777-300. This tag would allow the mechanic to get the ly manufacture oxygen should an aircraft lose air pressure in flight. needed information wirelessly, without taking apart the airplane. Boeing recently worked with Japan Airlines and Kenichi Hayashi, The bottom line: What took 13 hours now takes 8.5 minutes. JAL RFID team leader, to evaluate its maintenance processes, learn- The savings in this single example can be replicated across the ing that it takes 13 hours of tear-down time to locate the dates on pins entire in-service Boeing fleet, Coop noted, adding that “Boeing ex- of oxygen generators to determine if they’re still serviceable. pects to have in-service validation of this process this summer.” “Because it takes so long to check, and because commercial air- The benefits of high-data tags don’t end with commercial air- plane customers. Suppliers also can benefit from RFID tags on parts, as the tags can be used to store part maintenance history. This can be It’s our future particularly helpful in “no-fault-found” situations, Coop said—situ- Actions cited in this story show how employees are applying concepts ations particularly costly to suppliers and airline customers. of the Boeing Management Model to support the company’s business No-fault-found situations are those where a mechanic trouble- strategies. Here’s how. shoots a problem that leads to a specific component, which is then replaced. The suspected problem component then goes back to the • Growth and productivity: Lean+, through application of Lean supplier for repair, at which point the supplier determines the part principles in production areas and with support services, suppli- is in good working order. The part is then shipped back at signifi- ers and customers. cant cost to the customer and supplier. Based on industry statistics To learn more about the Management Model, visit http://bmm.web. and trends, situations like this can cost an airline up to $100,000 a boeing.com on the Boeing intranet. year per airplane, Coop said.

34 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n FEATURE STORY

RFID benefits suppliers What once took a weekend of working overtime sorting and inventory- ing parts kits now takes five minutes thanks to a new radio frequency identification system. Philadelphia’s Supply Chain Management Systems and RFID Global So- lutions, a supplier and installer of RFID products, developed a system to track more effectively the movement of government property and high-dollar Boeing-owned parts and tools. Boeing’s Parts Tracking and Accountability system associates a part with an RFID tag and updates legacy systems as the part moves through the factory and off-site warehouses. Suppliers and other partners are connected to this system as well. The RFID chip contains only a chip number, thus eliminating the chance of releasing Boeing-specific data. Today, Boeing has implemented point-of-use delivery, sending elec- tronic parts requests to the third-party warehouse, resulting in direct deliveries to the manufacturing shop. Warehouse staff can use hand- held scanners at the mechanic’s station in addition to the buildings’ portals to read the tag. Now, parts are right where the mechanic needs them. And with this technology, the process improvement opportunities are growing. RFID tags also bring real-time visibility to Boeing’s supply chain, which creates many benefits. Among them: Substantially reducing loss of

high-value parts; misplaced tools or equipment can be “sniffed out” J as on Ba rr photo with a handheld RFID reader. Bill Schweiker, a Production controller in Philadelphia, uses a handheld radio frequency identification reader to scan a passive —Donna McGinley RFID tag.

“We want to log that kind of data into the RFID tag,” he said. investment required to change processes at Boeing and at our sup- “This way it can help identify items that are frequently a part of plier locations—including time, resources and new procedures— these scenarios and help establish better troubleshooting processes.” seems daunting. We must continue to communicate the value Porad noted that Boeing also stands to benefit from tag applica- proposition to all stakeholders.” tion on parts, as it will help Boeing understand the consumption Geear also noted similar challenges: Although Boeing is re- history and the reliability of Boeing-made parts. That knowledge garded as a leader in the use of high-data tags, ongoing supplier can help Boeing know how many parts to build and improve fore- training has been required, including UID overviews and dialog casting for long-lead parts. on the UID impact with subtier suppliers. Geear said that the opportunities for using high-data tags and Another challenge is that RFID requires data entry—the tags markings in aerospace are undeniably limitless. That’s particular- are only as data-rich as the input made by users. Controls must be ly true in the product support arena, as the tags could hold and in place to ensure that the data required is entered and maintained relay technical manuals, publications, maintenance instructions, appropriately. “It won’t happen overnight,” Coop said. “We need calibration histories and more directly to an operator or maintainer to prove there’s value to it and get participants to contribute to the through a wireless network or other information system. solution. However, there are orders of magnitude of benefit, even if partial information is added. Small tags, big challenges “Ultimately, it’s not what the tag can do but what it can enable,” The benefits of this technology are obvious and very compel- he continued. “We consider RFID a Lean-enabling tool, and prob- ling. However, the seemingly simple task of tagging parts is not ably the strongest enabler to Lean that we can introduce.” n without considerable challenges. [email protected] Boeing has been touting the benefits of RFID and UID mark- ings for some time, but there continues to be a perception of risk RFID/UID stories in past Frontiers that the introduction of this new feature could interfere with pro- Boeing Frontiers previously has reported on radio frequency ID tags duction. So Boeing has spent time value-stream-mapping tag use and the Unique Identification program. To read these articles, see Page on the 737 program, completing a “paper pilot,” which maps out 31 of the December 2004/January 2005 issue and Page 23 of the parts delivery to the factory up to the point of customer delivery. June 2005 edition. Or you can view these articles online at http://www. The program has identified a number of engineering issues that boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2004/december/i_ca4.html and have been quickly mitigated and has provided visibility to where http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2005/june/i_ids4.html, tags can add the most value. respectively. “It’s easy to do, but difficult to implement,” Porad said. “The

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 35 n FOCUS ON FINANCE A walk down Wall Street Finance team members to gather in New York, learn about a variety of financial concepts few years ago something about Finance’s leadership development A struck Corporate Treasurer Paul Kinscherff as curious. “We had an ad hoc approach to educating our leaders about Wall Street,” Kinscherff said. “But given the financial community’s importance to Boeing, it seemed important to develop something more structured.” Chief Financial Officer James Bell, who spends hundreds of hours each year meeting with analysts, bankers, and investors, read- ily agreed. “Our relationships with the finan- cial community are critical to ensuring we’re fairly valued and have continued access to credit and capital,” Bell said. “Finance is re- sponsible for nurturing those relationships, and I expect our leaders to have an under- standing of how their decisions can impact Wall Street perceptions of Boeing.” Kinscherff teamed with Vice President, Investor Relations Dave Dohnalek and Vice President, Corporate and Strategic Devel- opment Joe Lower to create the Boeing Wall Street Symposium. This year’s gather- ing will take place in October.

Now in its second year, the intense, two- N e w Y or k Stoc E xch a nge photo day session in New York is a “crash course Boeing’s second annual Wall Street Symposium, a two-day Finance leadership develop- for Finance leaders on securities markets, ment session, will take place in October. As part of this year’s event, attendees will visit mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, sites such as the New York Stock Exchange (above). credit rating agencies, investment banks and stock exchanges,” Kinscherff said. said, “but hearing it from the people on sium provides an opportunity to gain new “Wall Street, particularly the investment Wall Street has an added impact. perspectives by directly interacting with banks, help us to identify opportunities to Shawn Wattles of Shared Services Busi- some of Wall Street’s best and brightest.” grow,” Lower said. So a significant segment ness Operations also attended last year. With the symposium for Finance exec- of the symposium focuses on banking. “For those of us who aspire to be in a posi- utives up and running, the next step may This year, some 50 Finance leaders from tion someday to really help influence our be finding a way to bring the basics of Wall across the company will visit Wall Street for performance and reputation on the Street, it Street to a broader number of employees. the event. Attendees are nominated by mem- was fantastic,” he said. “How many people “While it’s critical that these leaders bers of Bell’s leadership team and person- get the chance to ask questions, in person, really grasp what makes the financial com- ally approved by Bell. The symposium will of some of the most influential advisors munity tick, every employee needs to ap- be cohosted by, and held at, Citigroup, one of on Wall Street regarding what they think preciate why Wall Street is important to Boeing’s most important financial partners. Boeing is doing right or could do better?” Boeing,” Dohnalek said. “As we connect Robert Samuelson, director of 767 tank- Bell said he’s pleased with the progress the dots between what happens in factories er business management in Integrated he’s seeing. and offices and what happens to Boeing’s Defense Systems, was at the 2006 sympo- “We learn as much from Wall Street as stock on a trading floor, we’ll help drive the sium. “Hearing senior management explain it learns from us,” he said. “The sympo- financial results we all want to see.” n why we need to execute is important,” he

36 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS n FOCUS ON FINANCE Boeing stock, ShareValue STOCK WATCH Trust performance The chart below shows the stock price of Boeing compared to other aerospace companies, the S&P 500 index and the S&P 500 Aerospace and Defense index. Prices/values are plotted as an index num- ShareValue Trust is an employee incentive plan ber. The base date for these prices/values is Aug. 27, 2004, which generates three years of data. The that allows eligible employees to share in the prices/values on that date equal 100. In other words, an index of 120 represents a 20 percent improve- results of their efforts to increase shareholder ment over the price/value on the base date. Each data point represents the end of a trading week. value over the long term. The program—which runs for 14 years and Boeing vs. U.S.-based competitors ends in 2010—features seven overlapping investment periods. The program is currently in Periods 6 and 7.

Boeing vs. stock indexes and international competitors

Comparisons: Four-week comparison 52-week comparison Price/value Price/value Percent Price/value Percent 4-week, 52-week as of 08/24/07 as of 07/27/07 change as of 08/25/06 change BOEING 98.47 103.71 -5.1% 73.93 33.2% The above graphs show an estimate of what a U.S. COMPETITORS “full 4-year participant” ShareValue Trust distribu- General Dynamics 79.98 79.33 0.8% 67.36 18.7% tion (pretax) would be for Periods 6 and 7 if the 100.02 99.28 0.7% 83.08 20.4% end-of-period average share prices were the Northrop Grumman 79.20 77.20 2.6% 65.40 21.1% same as the recent price shown. Raytheon 58.27 54.93 6.1% 46.64 24.9% The share price shown is the average of the day’s INT’L COMPETITORS high and low New York Stock Exchange prices. EADS * 21.36 22.46 -4.9% 22.49 -5.0% Updates to participant/employment data will be U.S. STOCK INDEXES made periodically. S&P 500 1479.37 1458.95 1.4% 1295.09 14.2% S&P 500 Aerospace 432.56 435.20 -0.6% 336.03 28.7% For more information on the ShareValue Trust, and Defense Index visit http://www.boeing.com/share. * Price in Euros

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 37 n AROUND BOEING Michael and Caleb’s excellent adventure

Australian engineering students Caleb White (left) and Michael Azoury attended the July 787 Dreamliner Premiere event in Everett, Wash. The pair toured Boeing facilities across the United States after winning the Boeing/Hawker Aerospace Excellence Travel Bursary award. ADRIAN MOURITZ PHOTO

2 Australian students see all the different opportunities that a ca- were given behind-the-scenes tours at reer in aerospace has to offer. Boeing facilities including jetliner manu- tour Boeing facilities White said the July 787 Dreamliner Pre- facturing in Everett and Renton; rotorcraft miere in Everett, Wash., was the highlight manufacturing in Philadelphia; the Space across United States of the trip. But visiting the various Boeing Station and Space Shuttle facilities at sites was what really opened his eyes to the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; and the Satel- By Dean Webb potential of the global aerospace industry. lite Development Center, Sea Launch and “Seeing more 737s on the line at Renton C-17 production in Southern California. efore their visit this year to the Unit- (Wash.) than I’ve seen at any airport was The Aerospace Excellence Awards ed States, Australian aerospace en- incredible,” he said. “And the enthusiasm program also includes prizes for top stu- Bgineering students Caleb White and and passion of the people behind all these dents and research scholarships for gradu- Michael Azoury knew that Boeing was products left me with a tremendous sense ate students. All this is part of an effort by big. What impressed them was how big. of pride to be part of the industry.” Boeing to help upgrade Australian work The pair from the Royal Melbourne In- The students were accompanied by force skills in engineering. stitute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia Adrian Mouritz, a RMIT professor who Joel Gray, Australian Industrial Par- had a rare opportunity to see firsthand the oversees the awards program at the ticipation manager for Integrated Defense many different business units that make up college. “The tour allowed me to better Systems, said that “upskilling” Austra- Boeing. White and Azoury traveled to the understand the integration of work being lian industry has been a major objective of United States after winning the Boeing/ performed in Australia, such as on the 787 Boeing’s Industrial Participation efforts. Hawker de Havilland Aerospace Excel- and on Wedgetail, into the wider activities “These kinds of programs help address lence Travel Bursary award, sponsored in the United States,” Mouritz said. Dur- some of the skill shortage concerns ex- by the 737 Airborne Early Warning and ing the tour he examined case studies and pressed by the Australian government. Control Australian Wedgetail program and new developments in the U.S. aerospace Having skilled engineers is critical to cosponsored by Marriott International. industry for an aerospace materials and maintaining an indigenous support base for The award is designed to give exceptional manufacture course he’s developing. Australia’s aerospace industry,” he said. n majors a chance to Besides the 787 rollout, the students [email protected]

BOEING FRONTIERS September 2007 41 n SPOTLIGHT RON BOO K O U T PHOTO F/A-18E/F/G Flight Plan Team

ometimes, the best way to achieve is to start at the end. That’s exactly what we did to provide our cus- tomers with capabilities they need when they need them. By looking ahead to what the U.S. Navy requires the SF/A-18E/F and EA-18G to be able to do in the future, we’ve effectively identified what Boeing must focus on today. The Flight Plan Team takes a lean approach to procurement by first analyzing what capabilities the customer will need in the future to face the anticipated threat, and then determining what will meet that requirement. Before, we looked at capability improvements on a system-by-system basis, asking questions such as what can we do to upgrade radar or flight controls? Now, we work with the customer on capability-based planning, looking across systems to deliver re- sources, not just products. For example, instead of developing a new stand-alone system to enable the Super Hornet to track moving targets, we developed a method to exploit data that existing radar and sensors gather, merge that data, and add software to achieve much-needed capability, without requiring major changes to hardware. We plan three years ahead for software upgrades and as much as five years ahead if the capability will require a hard- ware upgrade. Our ideas must satisfy a critical warfighting need, be cost-effective and low-risk, and be delivered on time. So we work with the entire team of Boeing, suppliers and the Navy to develop solutions. As a result of working with suppliers to streamline processes, we’ve identified savings of between 25 and 30 percent on development costs. Kneeling, from left Todd Harper Pete Friesen Scott Winter Steve Bass (not pictured) Integration engineer F/A-18 program integration Communications navigation Flight plan program manager manager identification engineer Standing, from left: Gary Pahl John Scheibel Chris La Fata Daniel Hume Marty Montgomery Paul Tipton New product Weapons integration Radar engineer Integration engineer Mission systems New product development manager engineer integration team manager development manager

42 September 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS